A former lawmaker from the religious party, Sayedee, 73, was charged with 20 crimes against humanity, including looting, killing, arson, rape and forced conversion, during the war in which Bangladesh broke from Pakistan.

---------- Tokyo court rules Apple did not infringe Samsung patent
TOKYO - The Tokyo District Court ruled Thursday that Apple Inc. has not infringed upon a Samsung Electronics Co.'s patent in making smartphones and tablet computers.

Presiding Judge Ichiro Otaka rejected Samsung's claim for damages over a data transmission technology patent. The latest ruling in the ongoing global legal battle between the two rivals concerned Apple's iPhone 3GS and 4 smartphones as well as two types of iPads.

---------- FEATURE: Young volunteers stay to support victims of March 2011 disaster
FUKUSHIMA, Japan - With nearly two years having passed since a catastrophic quake-tsunami disaster ravaged villages and towns in northeastern Japan and caused a nuclear power plant crisis as well, young volunteers continue to stay in affected areas, aiming to help local people rebuild their lives and hometowns.

Yusuke Kato is one such volunteer. In early February, the 24-year-old accompanied a bus tour organized to visit the Fukushima prefectural cities of Minamisoma and Soma where some areas remain off-limits due to nuclear radiation contamination.

---------- Riken applies for gov't permission to conduct iPS clinical research
TOKYO - Japan's state-backed scientific research institute Riken on Thursday applied for government permission for its plan to conduct clinical research using induced pluripotent stem cells, known as iPS cells, to regenerate retina, Riken said.

If the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare accepts Riken's plan, it would be the world's first clinical research using iPS cells, which grow into different kinds of human body tissue.

---------- Nonresidents remain net buyers of Japanese stocks for 15th week
TOKYO - Nonresident investors remained net buyers of Japanese stocks for the 15th straight week through last week, the Tokyo Stock Exchange said Thursday.

It is the longest buying spree for nonresidents since they remained net buyers for 29 consecutive weeks through May 2011, it said.

---------- Dollar, euro up vs. yen on renewed risk appetite
TOKYO - The U.S. dollar and the euro gained against the yen Thursday in Tokyo on a resurgence of risk appetite among investors following Italy's solid bond auctions, coupled with persistent expectations for monetary easing by the Bank of Japan.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 92.35-36 yen compared with 92.18-28 yen in New York and 91.83-85 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Wednesday. It moved between 92.17 yen and 92.68 yen during the day, changing hands most frequently at 92.48 yen.

It is the first time in four days that Chinese government ships have entered Japanese waters. The Chinese vessels entered the waters shortly after 7 a.m. and remained there until around 9:20 a.m.

---------- Finance firm pres. gets suspended prison term for insider trading
YOKOHAMA - The Yokohama District Court sentenced on Thursday a financial company president to two years and six months in prison, suspended for four years, for committing insider trading.

Kim Cha Song, 67, made a profit of about 36 million yen through stock trading based on unpublished tender offer information he received on three companies between 2010 and 2011 from Hiroyoshi Yoshioka, who was an SMBC Nikko Securities Inc. executive officer, according to the ruling.

---------- JCB begins high-speed wireless Net connection service
TOKYO - Credit card company JCB Co. said Thursday it began a high-speed wireless Internet data connection service via its subsidiary JCB Service the same day.

In a rare entry by a credit card company into the Net hookup business, JCB Service will enable owners of smartphones, personal and tablet computers, and other devices capable of connecting to a wireless LAN network to access the Net.